We left the hotel early on a very cold morning at and drove15 minutes south from our hotel to a small, dusty and rustic horse encampment (really couldn’t call it a ranch) outside of Tilcara and situated next to railroad tracks (a rare site in Argentina). Gonzalo has around 25 very well-fed, well-cared for, typical Argentina working horses. After mounting the already saddled animals, we crossed the highway and began heading up; the temperature climbed quickly to about 25 degrees Celsius as we shed layer after layer. The three of us spent the morning climbing up a large wash along the rainbow-colored mountainsides with jagged peaks that look like castles formed by the rain and wind over millennia (called Castillos de Huichaira). With spectacular views, and silent except for a few birds here and there, we enjoyed every second! A pleasant surprise was the number of cardones (Argentina saguaro cacti; similar, but not the same) lining the path, and huge ones all over the mountain sides along with various other green desert scrub.
After the ride, we went into town for a simple lunch outside on a shady square. Exhausted by the altitude and the sun, we retired for the rest of the day.
Link to Photos: https://photos.app.goo.gl/zQ3vn6B94UwHp6sP7